(CNS): Over 830 people have already signed an online petition, created last week, objecting to three proposed government bills aimed at modernising Cayman Islands law surrounding marriage, divorce and family life. The campaign against the efforts that would, among a number of things, make divorce simpler comes largely from the Christian community. The petition calls on the government not to follow through with the plans as they say no-fault divorce and the elimination of damages claims for injured parties over adultery will likely increase the number of divorces and break more families apart.

But Cayman already has one of the highest divorce rates in the world, despite having quite challenging divorce laws that require blame to be attributed to one of the parties, increasing the acrimony between families and forcing everyone into court.

Objectors claim that the proposed bills will “undermine and devalue the institution of marriage and are contrary to the Christian values that Caymanians hold dear” and that “the adoption of no-fault divorce will hurt children and families”.

CNS contacted the Cayman Ministers Association and a spokesperson told us that it would be submitting comments to the government opposing some of the law reform proposals and that it would be similar to submissions made to government in the past.

In the 2005 submissions objecting to modernisation the CMA said children raised in the care of their married biological parents experience better life outcomes than children in any other family arrangement.

“This does not mean that children in other arrangements always fare poorly. But it does mean that societies concerned with the well-being of children have a vested interest in the promotion, protection, and prosperity of marriage,” the CMA said in 2005, adding that making divorce easier makes it more likely to happen.

However, there is now a considerable amount of research that indicates that children suffer far more in acrimonious marriages than they do from an amicable divorce. Forcing children and spouses to remain in physical and emotionally abusive situations because the road to legal separation is so arduous and costly is extremely harmful. Most psychologists now agree that it is the acrimony between parents, not their separation, that has the most detrimental impact on children.

The Law Reform Commission published the proposed draft bills and asked for comment on a the changes to a package of legislation earlier this month. The consultation period for comment is open until June.

It is not men that spawn children. It’s a woman poor choice, she knows she going to bed a man but chooses not to use protection. Women are the ones who decide to have kids, some do it to trap men and milk money off them through the courts.

The Government submits for public comment the following Bills together with an Executive summary which seeks to reform the regulation of family matters and proceedings in the Cayman Islands –

The Family Property (Rights of Spouses) Bill, 2018.
The Bills cover a wide range of proposed reforms including the following –

the division of property and financial matters of married couples and unmarried couples who had been in common law relationships of five years or more.

Members of the public are invited to submit their comments on the proposed reforms in the Bills and the discussion paper. Submissions should be made no later than 8th June, 2018 and should be posted to Cheryl Neblett, First Legislative Counsel, Portfolio of Legal Affairs, P.O. Box 1999, KY1-1104; delivered by hand to the offices of the Attorney General at 5th floor Government Administration Building, 133 Elgin Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman, or sent by e-mail to [email protected].

Been with a long term girl and we have a child together. Life is sweet and I feel no tension whatsoever because the consequences are not so severe as if we were married.

If I mess up or she mess up its just a clean and simple break with no lawyers or paperwork involved.

I can pretty much just go on whistlin in the wind without any worry. Although some in society may try to pressure the king. The King is not phased by this chatter.

But I hear that this bill is trying to take me off my throne.

That’s right ladies and Gentlemen they want to bring back the dreaded common law marriage a concept abandoned in the civilized world (UK) for over 300 years but still alive in Gun Slinging Jamaica and Texas.

This is to say, if you are a King like me you can’t let a woman sleep in your house unless she has a contract that says she is a guest and well prepared by your lawyers.

So on the one hand, these quickie divorces but on the other they must feed the court and their ilk by the less than well advised Man or Woman thinking everything is smooth sailing. But it won’t work on my bredrin because I am a man of means, class and sophistication.

2 Questions:
How many people would agree here that much of the divorce acrimony & costs between parents is caused by the system itself – especially lawyers?
How many would also agree that local men are also at a big disadvantage in the outcomes in Cayman – even if they are not at fault?

To all men dont get married. Save your money and spend it as you like. Have loads of women, bed them but dont ever let them live with you. Cheaper to be single, its no hassle. Women are not worth it. When you get married your life as a man stop, your money is no longer yours and your bed life stops.

Marriage here has become a ridiculous joke! Pure sham marriages for convenience or Johnny married to Susie cause they been together for “donkey years so might as well for the heck of it” but yet Johnny still chasing tail while Susie turns a blind eye but she will put up with it because he put a ring on her finger! I agree to make it easier to divorce BUT the same should apply to making it harder to get married!

Exactly, most marriages are for convenience now and our system is so messed up no ones is stopping it. You have people here married just to get that “rights to work” and as soon as they get the residency or status a sudden divorce. And don’t you dear bring it to immigrations attention a false marriage; they fall back on “we don’t get involved in marital issues..”, cayman has been devoured by currption and false leaders. Make it harder to get married and get to keeping up with the marriages.

So, are we supposed to be unhappily married until death tear us apart??? That is so much non sense. Why the Church has to put a finger in everything?

With children in play or not, getting a divorce it might the best solution to find a HAPPY END. No one deserves to be married to someone they don’t love anymore, or to someone that don’t treat them right (cheating/agression comes right here). Come on Cayman, let’s take care of things more important than this.

We are already #1 in divorce rates anyway, let’s make it easier and move on. Give people a second chance to be happy.

I am sick and tired of hearing about our so called “Christian values” for everything that happens on this island and they want to bring marriage into the mix. The problem with marriage is those vows say for better or for worse till death do us part, so in other words they are thinking FOREVER! Hello? Nothing is guaranteed and nothing lasts forever! People change so if they feel that “forever” is not in the cards for them anymore leave them alone to divorce as quickly as possible and all parties move on with their lives. Simple.

Thats not true, before you apply for right to work cert both parties have to sign an affidavit, you sign that the marriage is true and all imformation given is also true, if it found that it is not so then both parties will be fined $5000 and possible Jail with getting deported.

Divorces need to be made simpler, faster and less expensive, divorce has a,ways been a pain in the neck, if two people don’t make it then tourure of not being able to get a divorce quickly and smoothly can be a real problem for moving on in life too, religion should not come into it

The right likes to talk about liberal snowflakes, political correctness and individual freedoms and here they are getting triggered by the potential for someone else to have an easier time having a divorce (already likely one of the most stressful and painful processes for a person to go through) Purposefully arduous and time consuming an so they can feel they have some sort of moral superiority

Went to the petition online… doesn’t say who created it. Nor does this article say that the “right” wrote it. In fact, this article quoted a statement that was made 13 years ago.

This all actually makes more sense to have come from the lawyer lobby in Cayman. Conservative estimates place the annual loss in legal fees to be around $1.5 Million, as a result of eliminating the petition stage of the divorce process. There’s not a whole lot of family attorneys, and that’s a good chunk of change to come out of the pockets of those greedy few.

Yes the “right” as in the collective group of ideologies and political leanings that are abundant in Cayman
Of course feel free to pretend whatever you like
Ignorance is bliss
Many a commenter in Cayman references Political correctness and liberal/socialist this and that

As a woman who was almost killed, husband fled Island prior to Court, I am disgusted at this. I am lucky to be alive today. Even though the injuries and he has absconded, I can not divorce. This is a travesty. I, for one, put Christianity out the window and replace it with common sense. Glad to be alive, but no thanks to these backwards thinking ways. Horrid

Is this… is this a joke? If we have the right to decide that we want to be with someone, we also have the right to change our minds! This goes especially if it turns into an abusive relationship. How dare you people try to deny someone the right to escape such a situation? What if children are involved? Should mommy and daddy stay together just because we’re in a “Christian” society even though daddy comes home drunk and beats the living **** out of mommy?

Sometimes people just grow apart – it’s not the end of the world! If it’s mutually agreed upon that there is no longer love in the relationship, how can a government say otherwise?

This is madness and I support the no-fault divorce bill wholeheartedly. What century are we living in again??

I am an attorney and can say that I support no-fault divorce. This can only improve everyone’s lives. Whatever fees are lost on contentious and drawn-out divorces will be more than made up for in “quickie” no-fault divorces. Thanks

Here is an idea. Rather than passing legislation to make it easier to get divorced, why not pass legislation to make it harder to get married? Any “adult” can get married and most do it for the wrong reasons. Economic reasons, immigration reasons, social status, etc. People shouldn’t be allowed to get married until they’ve reached the age of 30 and have lived together for at least 2 years!

CNS THANK YOU!! for giving the forum to speak honestly about this. Cayman needs to move forward and accept this is peoples lives and choices. Mr Leggie your editorial “When is a Story not a Story” is shameful. You should be ashamed of yourself.

The last time i checked the Compass was a “NEWS” paper?? You report the news not stories. There’s a difference. And so what if a family contacts you with news whether they are a same sex family or not it’s your job to report the news. Now you say it has to go through the courts before you will report on it.The last time i checked this was how “news” papers got ahead of their competitors by having people contact them with news worthy information and you reported on it. Well the Compass would be an empty “News” paper if this is how his parameters are on all news articles published.

It was a cop out. A man using fancy words to bypass a news worthy subject. Maybe he should try a hand as an attorney or politician as it seems to me you value your paying readers/sales/voters over the real news…I’m positive if the compass had the same forum these are the reactions to this editorial he would have had. Sure there’s more fancy words to come..

I agree 100%. I’ve been married 3 times … think of the money I would have saved! Here’s an idea, can we file a ‘Class-action’ lawsuit against the Govt for aiding and abetting our ‘ex-spouses’ … maybe then I could re-coup some of the $ my Lawyer’s got.

Firstly Christian values on this little island is long gone proof is in the pudding new liquor license on Sunday trading now allowed for any vendor! Marriage between man and woman soon be able to be anyone lets just get to it! You all wanted that little island and island life mentality to work when you wanted it be Modernized and have the luxuries…well take all the modernization changes that will come with the infrastructure and other changes needed to sustain the people and growth of these islands. Divorce rates in the Cayman Islands are already high! FACTS!!! If you want a marriage to work do you fight for what its meant to be and built on? or is it just a piece of paper with value of his and her income assets ? Society, Infrastructure, Laws, Culture, it all changes get to accepting Cayman its part of the development world!! One day the Ruler above will have his say on it all.

You mean the miserable people who get better pay and attention at work. Still does not sound fair to those who have to suffer the wedding and baby pictures and multitude of times of not showing up for work or leaving early all the time so they can pick up their single because they are too stupid to car pool with the other marriage lackeys.

God doesn’t want anyone to stay in an abusive marriage! Children growing up in this kind of situation is affected mentally for all their lives, when they see a parent being abused physically or mentally. The quicker someone can get out of this kind of marriage, the better!

CMA would do better to start a petition to suggest that Govt assist families with children in this country when parents are unemployed and can’t feed them, that would be the ‘Christian’ thing to do. NAU decides who they want to help and usually it’s not the persons that really need it!! Divorce is the least of the problems here!!! If persons don’t want to stay married because of whatever reason, why is that the business of the Church???

Marriage has become an outdated institution and is of little to no value to men. What we do need to do is to change the outdated laws that discriminate against men so that we can, as a society, achieve true gender equality.

If women want ot be equal, then let it be. I cant wait to see more women working on telephone poles, or hanging on the back of a garbage truck, or plumbing, or doing electrical work…come on, you cant all be teachers or take on administrative roles.

We want equality but when given equality we complain or only accept it when it suits us. My husband and I decided to try his idea and swap roles for a weekend. He did the house cleaning, laundry, cooking and taking care of our baby which we agreed were always seen as “the woman’s job”. I did the yard work, taking out the trash, the fix me up projects I wanted done including going to ALT to get the supplies, unload the truck and had to change a tire. You know, the “man’s job.” The thing I took away from that weekend was wanting equality was a good thing, getting it was a shock to me. He did the things I usually did without a single complaint and was done well (learning curve) but that evening I was in so much pain.

That experience opened my eyes to something my husband made comments about and I just thought and passed off as the “man side” of him coming out. Even some of my girlfriends thought I was nuts for doing what I did which only made me realize how hypocritical a lot of my girlfriends were. The sames ones advocating and being SJW’s for equality turned their nose up at the idea of actually having to walk the walk. I still want equality and I also have a new found respect for what my husband does for the family. Women, we need to understand the saying “be careful what you ask for, you just might get it.”

As for the simplifying of divorce? All for it. My sister was in an abusive marriage and it took pulling teeth and hair for her to get divorced and even then she came away from it feeling like it was her fault because of how her church viewed marriage and divorce. This BS needs to stop, simplifying divorce will serve a much greater good. I am religious and I cannot believe that our savior would prefer us to remain miserable in an abusive and potentially lethal situation. Isn’t that akin to suicide? Isn’t that a much greater sin?

Who was abusive to who? Sounds like your sister wanted all the benefits and bragging rights of marriage, but when it came to work and negotiating, she took the easy way out. Babys having babys. You sound, as all scammers do, like you are the victim. I would love to hear the other side, but it appears in our society mens opinoins do not matter and women are brilliant at suppressing other’s observations.

My sister was abused and as a matter of fact my sister was 29 when she got married and was in the relationship for 5 years prior with that a$$hat and never had a child so the whole baby having babies BS is invalid. Oh yeah she got the bragging rights, she got to brag about 2 trips to the hospital, 1 broken rib, a few knocked out teeth and a broken arm and as for “work and negotiation”? She did all the work and he laid on his a$$ when they got home from work and the negotiation was him taking her pay and her letting him so as to not get beaten up again.

You’re comment is ludicrous, insulting to women who are trapped in abusive relationships with limited possibilities to escape them and I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw women like how he saw my sister, a punching bag and slave. Someone said it earlier, those against easier divorces must have a lot to lose. What? You threatened that you might lose your slave and punching bag or your meal ticket?

I don’t know what benefits you are talking about other than increased insurance premiums. Only other benefit I got was paid maternity leave and not so many sleepless nights thanks to my husband taking care of the baby once I went to bed.

And as for “sound like a victim”? How? I never said I was. My husband does a lot of things around the house, as many things albeit more physical things. Never did I say I was forced to do it, I went in eyes wide open, and I would do it again. In fact this weekend I am going to help him build the shed we need. You know, a woman doing work as an equal? Something your backwards thinking probably wouldn’t understand.

AGREED. Come on CSA with all respect. Whenever do you NOT put the safe welfare and safe environment of a child first when it comes to divorce…Why not make it easier for everyone both emotionally and financially again financially for the support of the children for the future…to advocate staying together just because is disastrous and proven to be….not sure what you guys may be teaching at CSA?….again with all the respect…

So lets stay in a marriage that the husband or wife is cheating, lets stay in a marriage that all we do is fight in front of our children, lets stay in a marriage when husband or wife are being beaten. Yep that makes sense!!!

Never ending circle of violence and teaching our children deplorable morals and behavior and we wonder why the youth of this generation mistreat women or worse yet why women allow themselves to be mistreated. It’s because they honestly think it’s normal and okay to do so. Mom or Dad did it so it must be ok.

BUt what about all the extra benefits you get from work from being married, and all the bragging rights you got from hovering your marriages over singles as though you won the nobel prize in biology.

Time to pay the piper. We had to deal with your fantasy, now deal with the reality that you aint super-human for being married, you just joined a club that made you look more mature and professsional than you are. And now you want to complain about making a marriage work. Lets give all who want a divorce a divorce with the addendum they must remit all promotions and benefits they received while married. Then it will be fair.

Oh you mean like paid maternity leave? Or the increased insurance premiums? I don’t know who “hovered” over you but you have issues.I never once told anyone I was superhuman for being married. It’s a lot of work and commitment, something you obviously never experienced or too afraid to. “And now you want to complain about making a marriage work.” I’m sorry but I think you took one too many stupid pills before turning on your PC.

If my husband comes home drunk and beats me to an inch of my life, how do you suppose in your in.. no finite wisdom do I “make that work”? That was the most retarded statement I’ve heard today, no wait, second most retarded. The first being “Lets give all who want a divorce a divorce with the addendum they must remit all promotions and benefits they received while married. Then it will be fair.”

Ok so I got married, had a baby, took maternity leave, dealt with the depression and health issues related to child birth and somehow benefited?Oh and did you say promotions? Tell me one person, name and company I can verify that got promoted because of being married, I never did, I got promoted before I got married by dedication and hard work. If they did they married someone or a relative of someone that could get them promoted which is unethical.

If I got divorce I’m supposed to give back the time/money I received from maternity leave, pay back for the medications and check ups? I guess I’ll have to shove my baby back up into my womb too right? Or my husbands swimmers back into him?

My child was born with unforeseen complications that almost took my life and you have the nerve to say stupid crap like I benefited somehow? Other than my beautiful boy and received NO other benefit.

You are obviously a man (no offense to the good dads, spouses and significant others out there but this one with special), single and in or never had a relationship with any depth or substance and I pity you. I really do. And I’m sorry if you perceive a mothers love for her children or the love of her husband as “hovering” but it’s obviously something you never truly experienced and again I pity you.

To everyone else, sorry for the rant but this skid mark on the underpants of society flicked my last nerve.

Never hear about equality when its about divorce! 95% of the time it favors the women, no feminist complain then. Thats why they wish to make this more easier to accomplish. Divorce and run off with your cash!

I was married, my wife cheated on me, I filed for divorce and yet she got our son, child support and the better half of the deal while I had to shell out the cash for the divorce. I was punished because of what she did. Then my church had the nerve to tell me I was wrong. Screw them. I’m much happier now and with someone a thousand times better than my byatch of an ex.

The conduct of a spouse during the marriage (in your case, your wife’s infidelity) is not usually a factor the court considers when it comes to making financial orders. You will find that the court is concerned with the welfare of the children of the family as well as attempting to allow both spouses to maintain themselves independent of each other. Despite your wife’s conduct, if she was in need of more financial assistance from you in order to maintain a life independent of you, as well as care for the children of the family, any financial award was likely to be in her favour.

A petition, really now CMA???? If individuals decide they do not want to stay together who gives anyone the right to say they MUST??? This dictatorship mentality is madness; the only thing this petition will do is discourage persons from getting married. I just hope the powers that be have the balls to look at these amendments from an individual’s perspective and not the church’s. Stupidness!!!!

For avoidance of doubt, women make up the largest portion of the electorate, highest # of college graduates, estimated to as a collective receive more in wages than men, preferential treatment in divorces, file approx 90% of divorces in Cayman, receive about 200% more Government social services, are recognized for representing the highest proportion of abusers (but least penalized), influence approx 83% of consumer spending, higher life spans…if there’s a petition that is necessary it’s for the Governor to intervene into the nonsense that transpires behind the closed doors of the family court….

Yep same here and still paying for it. One and done. I can’t afford another child support payment or someone taking half of what I have because I have nice things that I bust my butt for 8-5 m-f. That or prenups baby.

So, as far as we know, God is a single guy. No Mrs. God, no pending lawsuits from porn stars or Playboy models, much less photographic evidence. Yet, he decides to have a child.

And He thinks the most appropriate way to proceed is to impregnate a married woman, who has not even consummated her marriage. He then decides to have her husband support her during the pregnancy and raise His son.

He does not necessarily have the Moral high-ground, to decide what we should allow on this issue.

You know this petition was heavily circulated with the headline “Let’s protect marriage in the Cayman Islands” on the day the news broke about the two ladies wanting to get married…I wouldn’t be surprised if many people signed that without even reading the body of the email to realise this was about divorce and not gay marriage.

I can’t believe people would want to keep divorce so difficult. If people want to stay together they will. Forcing people into staying in a hostile situation helps no one and certainly does not help the children.

Sham marriages or long-distance scams are there to normalize a person in the workin g environment so they can receive extra attention and benefits. If they get divorced, then they are comforted and continue to recieve unwarranted attention and rights over those who are single and performing better or the same as the partners in crime.

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